Data Privacy and Security
at GFSD

Parents' Bill Of Rights For Data Privacy And
Security

The Glens Falls City School District is committed to protecting the
privacy and security of student, teacher, and principal data. In accordance with
New York Education Law § 2-d, the District wishes to inform the school community
of the following:

1) A student's personally identifiable information cannot
be sold or released for any commercial purposes.

2) Parents have the right to inspect and review the
complete contents of their child's education record.

3) State and federal laws protect the confidentiality of
personally identifiable information, and safeguards associated
with industry standards and best practices, including but not
limited to, encryption, firewalls, and password protection,
must be in place when data is stored or transferred.

5) Parents have the right to have complaints about possible
breaches of student data addressed. Complaints should be
directed in writing to the Chief Privacy Officer, New York
State Education Department, 89 Washington Avenue, Albany, New
York 12234. Complaints may also be directed to the Chief
Privacy Officer via email at:CPO@mail.nysed.gov.

Supplemental Information Regarding Third-Party Contractors

In the course of complying with its obligations under the
law and providing educational services to District residents,
the Glens Falls City School District has entered into
agreements with certain third-party contractors. Pursuant to
such agreements, third-party contractors may have access to
"student data" and/or "teacher or principal data," as those
terms are defined by law.

Each contract the District enters into with a third party
contractor where the third party contractor receives student
data or teacher or principal data will include the following
information:

1) The exclusive purposes for which the student data or
teacher or principal data will be used;

2) How the third party contractor will ensure that the
subcontractors, persons or entities that the third party
contractor will share the student data or teacher or principal
data with, if any, will abide by data protection and security
requirements;

3) When the agreement expires and what happens to the
student data or teacher or principal data upon expiration of
the agreement;

4) If and how a parent, student, eligible student, teacher
or principal may challenge the accuracy of the student data or
teacher or principal data that is collected; and

5) Where the student data or teacher or principal data will
be stored (described in such a manner as to protect data
security), and the security protections taken to ensure such
data will be protected, including whether such data will be
encrypted.

Student Privacy 101: FERPA for Parents and Students

Ever have questions about your rights regarding education
records? This short video produced by the Privacy Technical
Assistance Center (PTAC) of the U.S. Department of Education
highlights the key points of the Family Educational Rights and
Privacy Act (FERPA). If you are an education stakeholder and
would like to learn about data privacy, confidentiality, and
security practices related to student-level longitudinal data
systems and other uses of student data, visit
http://ptac.ed.gov/.

Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) in Glens
Falls City Schools

FERPA provides the following rights to parents of students
enrolled in district schools (these rights transfer from the
parent to the student once he/she turns 18 or is attending
college):

1. You may inspect and review your child’s education
records, by contacting the school principal, who will arrange
for you to inspect them within 45 days. You may obtain a copy
of any record by giving the principal a request that
specifically identifies the record you want copied. The copies
will be made within a reasonable time after your request is
received; you may be charged .25 cents per page for the
copies.

2. You may seek amendment of your child’s records if you
believe they are inaccurate or in violation of the student’s
privacy or other rights, by contacting the district Records
Access Officer. You should tell the officer what specific
portions of your child’s records you believe are inaccurate,
misleading or a violation of privacy rights, and how you want
them amended. If the officer determines that the record should
not be amended, you have the right to a hearing to review that
determination; the process for requesting a hearing will be
explained to you at the time of the officer’s determination.

3. The district cannot generally disclose personally
identifiable information contained in your child’s records to
anyone outside the district without your consent. The district
will disclose your child’s records to school officials only if
they are providing educational services to your child, or
otherwise need access to the information in those records in
order to perform the work of the district. School officials
include: administrators, teachers, and support staff employed
by the district; Board of Education members; a parent or
student serving on a district body such as the Committee on
Special Education or the Student Senate; or any individual or
company such as a law firm, medical consultant or specialist
which contracts to provide services to the district or its
students. The district will forward your child’s records to
other educational agencies or institutions, including other
school districts, in which your child seeks or intends to
enroll, or from which your child is receiving services, upon
the request of the agency or institution. You may request a
copy of any record which has been sent to such an agency or
institution, and you may seek amendment of any such record as
described in Section 2 of this Notice.

4. If you believe the school district has not complied
fully with FERPA or its regulations, you may file a complaint
with the Family Policy Compliance Office, U.S. Department of
Education, Washington D.C., 20202-4605. Procedures for filing
this complaint can be obtained from the Records Access
Officer. The district’s Records Access Officer is Paul
Jenkins, Glens Falls City School District, 15 Quade Street,
Glens Falls, NY 12801. His phone number is 792-1212.

Student Privacy

Under the Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment (PPRA),
parents have the right to inspect and opt their child out of
any student survey that reveals information about personal
attitudes, behaviors or beliefs. Parents also have the right
to receive notice of and opt their child out of any activities
that involve the collection, disclosure or use of a student’s
personal information for marketing purposes and out of any
non-emergency, invasive physical exam or screening, except for
hearing, vision and scoliosis screenings or as permitted or
required by state law.

Release of student information to military recruiters

Pursuant to the federal No Child Left Behind Act, the
school district must disclose to military recruiters and
institutions of higher learning, upon request, the names,
addresses and telephone numbers of our high school junior and
senior students. This information is routinely used by members
of the Armed Services (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps) as
well as colleges and vocational schools.

However, parents or students may request, in writing, that
the district not release such information. Parents, or
students who are at least 18 years old, wishing to exercise
their option to withhold their consent to the release of this
information must contact the high school main office by
September 30 of the current school year. After this date, the
school will be expected to release the information when
requested.

Should you have any questions regarding this request, or if
you are in need of further information, please feel free to
contact the school at 792-6564.